Latest news with #YoavGallant
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Israeli defense minister urges US to make ‘final blow' in Iran
(NewsNation) — Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant urges President Trump to help deliver the coup de grâce to Iran's nuclear infrastructure but says he understands if the American leader needs more time to decide. The White House on Thursday said Trump would decide within the next two weeks whether to strike Iran — presumably, to have U.S. forces take out the Fordow nuclear fortress that is beyond Israel's military capabilities — or opt for diplomacy. 'Israel made, I would say, huge progress towards eliminating the Iranian (nuclear) program, but the final blow should be an American one,' Gallant told 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports.' Israel will go it alone in Iran, if necessary: Ambassador Israel began launching targeted military strikes against Iran on June 12 in an attempt, the country said, to disable its enemy's rapidly approaching acquisition of nuclear weapons. Israel said it had made major progress toward that end, but destroying Fordow remains an elusive goal. Iran continues to send missiles to broader targets in Israel, which has not been able to shoot down all of the projectiles. Some speculate Israel may be running low on interceptor rockets, begging the question whether it can hold out as Trump makes his decision on Iran. 'Whether it's a week or two weeks, it doesn't make the difference,' Gallant said. 'I believe the president will do the right thing.' He said Iran is the one that is feeling pressure after a week of targeted strikes, while 'the Israeli people are very strong and resilient.' Iran has warned the U.S. against military involvement in the conflict, and some within Trump's Republican base oppose American intervention in the Middle East. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Days of Palestine
12 hours ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
Israeli leaders decry hospital strike as ‘immoral,' despite turning Gaza's hospitals into graveyards
DaysofPal – Tel Aviv's outrage over a missile strike near Soroka Hospital in southern Israel has drawn widespread criticism and accusations of hypocrisy, as Israel continues its systematic destruction of Gaza's hospitals in a war that has lasted over 21 months. Condemnation of Iran, accusations of 'war crime' On Thursday, Israel accused Iran of launching a direct missile strike on Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, calling it a 'terrorist crime' and a blatant war crime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Tehran had targeted 'civilian residents in the heart of Israel,' while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the attack was 'a war crime' and vowed retaliation. Israeli Sports Minister Miki Zohar described the attackers as 'the most despicable people on earth,' accusing Iran of crossing moral boundaries by targeting a hospital. 'Only the scum of the earth and cowards launch missiles at children lying in hospitals,' he wrote. Iran denies, says strike targeted military base near hospital Iran quickly denied the Israeli narrative, clarifying that its missile targeted a military intelligence headquarters adjacent to the hospital, not the hospital itself. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the strike hit its intended target 'precisely and accurately,' and Iranian state media noted that Soroka Hospital suffered collateral damage from the explosion's blast wave. Some reports on Iranian and independent media suggested that a secret military command center was operating beneath the hospital, possibly storing weapons or hazardous materials previously relocated from targeted Israeli bases. Israel Quiet on Its Own Hospital Bombings in Gaza and Iran Critics have been quick to highlight Israel's silence, or justification, when it comes to its own documented record of hospital bombings in Gaza and, more recently, in Iran. On Monday, Iranian outlets reported that Israeli warplanes struck Al-Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, and the Hakim Children's Hospital in Tehran was reportedly hit just days earlier. The Iranian Ministry of Health has confirmed these attacks. But the contrast is most stark in Gaza. Israel has rendered dozens of hospitals in Gaza inoperable. Since October 7, 2023, Israel's military has bombed, besieged, and destroyed hospitals across Gaza as part of what Palestinians and international observers have increasingly called a genocide. Among the most heavily hit: – Al-Shifa Medical Complex: Gaza's largest hospital was raided, bombed, and rendered non-functional. More than 300 bodies were found after Israeli forces withdrew in March 2024. – Nasser Medical Complex: Repeatedly targeted, including the assassination of Dr. Ismail Barhoum. Now lies in ruins. – Al-Ahli Arab Hospital (Baptist Hospital): Bombed on October 17, 2023, killing 500 patients and displaced people. – Kamal Adwan Hospital: Stormed in December 2024. Staff were ordered to strip at gunpoint. – Al-Amal Hospital: Forced evacuations and closures under Israeli military pressure. – Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital: The Strip's only cancer center, bombed into total closure. – Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital: Its dialysis unit was destroyed, resulting in the death of pediatric patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently confirmed that at least 94% of Gaza's hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, with only 19 of 36 partially operational, and even those teetering on collapse due to fuel shortages, lack of staff, and unrelenting attacks. The Gaza Health Ministry has warned that the remaining hospitals may be forced to shut down within days due to Israel's blockade on fuel deliveries, despite these facilities relying entirely on generators. International and UN agencies have reportedly been denied access to hospital fuel depots, now labeled 'red zones' by the Israeli army. Essential lifelines in Gaza are collapsing, according to UNRWA and OCHA, as water is drying up, ambulances are immobilized, and almost half of all vital medical supplies are running low. Backlash on social media: 'hypocrisy on full display' The Israeli government's condemnation of the Soroka incident sparked widespread criticism online, where users accused it of staggering hypocrisy. 'If this is a war crime, then Israel is the greatest war criminal alive,' one user wrote. 'You can't spend a year bombing hospitals and then cry foul when it happens to you.' Palestinian journalist Hamza Yusuf mocked Western media's double standard: 'No 'health officials say'?' ' No 'according to locals'? No 'Likud-run health ministry claims'? Interesting.' Irish journalist Barry Malone added, 'The difference in reporting on hospitals being hit in Israel versus Gaza should be studied in journalism schools. The bias is that blatant.' Others argued that Israel had 'normalized' the bombing of hospitals through its own actions in Gaza, paving the way for such attacks to become militarily and diplomatically tolerated—until it happens to them. A Pattern of Impunity While Tel Aviv invokes international law to decry attacks on its territory, its own track record suggests a pattern of impunity. For nearly two years, hospitals in Gaza have been turned into graveyards under Israeli fire. And as the war spreads into regional theaters, critics say Israel can no longer pretend to be both an aggressor and a victim. Shortlink for this post:
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Only Trump can finish what Israel started, former Israeli defence minister says
Yoav Gallant, Israel's former minister of defence, says this week is the one where US president Donald Trump has to make a decision to intervene in Israel's current war on Iran. "Should he, or should he not, use American air power to finish the job Israel has very nearly completed, ensuring that Iran never possesses nuclear weapons?" Gallant and British historian Niall Ferguson wrote in a piece in The Free Press. The two indicated that the support of allies, especially the US, has been essential for Israel. "Now, with a single exertion of its unmatched military strength, the United States can shorten the war, prevent wider escalation, and end the principal threat to Middle Eastern stability," they added. Gallant and Ferguson stress that a US intervention would "send a signal to those other authoritarian powers who have been Iran's enablers that American deterrence is back." Gallant has an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant against him for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel says Iran used missile with multiple warheads; hits Arak nuclear reactor in escalating conflict
Israel's military now believes Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in its latest attack, marking a new threat to Israel's missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously under regulations, said tracking such missiles is significantly harder, as each warhead behaves differently in flight. This comes after Iranian missiles struck southern Israel on Thursday, damaging Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center and residential areas near Tel Aviv. Over 240 people were wounded, four seriously, with the majority suffering minor injuries. The hospital has suspended all non-emergency services following the strike. In a rare and direct threat, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant blamed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying, 'This man absolutely should not continue to exist.' US officials claimed President Donald Trump recently vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei, though Trump later remarked there were no current plans to do so. In retaliation, Israeli jets struck Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, a key facility in the country's nuclear program. Israel's military said it targeted the reactor's core seal to prevent future plutonium production. Iranian state media denied any radiation risk and confirmed the facility was evacuated. Israel also claimed to have hit another nuclear-related site near Natanz, continuing a week-long offensive that began with airstrikes on Iranian military, scientific, and enrichment targets. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Iran has fired more than 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in response, killing at least 24 Israelis. Despite most incoming fire being intercepted, Thursday's missile attack prompted mass evacuations and emergency responses across Israeli hospitals. 'We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister plans to meet EU leaders in Geneva, even as the country vows not to halt its nuclear program. President Trump has hinted at broader involvement but warned of 'something much bigger than a ceasefire.'
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
Amid Iranian missile strike, Israeli stock market surges to 52-week high
New Delhi: In a striking display of investor confidence, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange surged to a 52-week high on Thursday, even after Iran launched a fresh missile attack targeting, among other places, the stock exchange building itself. According to local media reports from Israel, Iran fired 25 missiles in a new wave of attacks early Thursday, damaging several sites, including the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building. Despite this direct hit, the Israeli stock market remained largely unaffected, with investors showing resilience amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel. The Tel Aviv All Share Index rose 0.5 per cent to reach 2,574, marking its highest level in the past 52 weeks. Other major indices, such as the TA-35 and TA-125, were also trading in the green and hit their respective 52-week highs of 2,810 and 2,850. The TA-125 Index, which represents the largest companies on the Israeli stock exchange, has shown strong gains since hostilities between Iran and Israel intensified on June 13. The index has climbed nearly 5 per cent so far in June. In comparison, it had risen 6.55 per cent in May and 4.53 per cent in April -- reflecting sustained market optimism despite the geopolitical risks. Reports also indicate that the Iranian missile strikes caused damage to a major hospital in southern Israel. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong warning to Iran, saying the Islamic Republic would 'pay a heavy price' for targeting Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also confirmed that the Israeli military has been ordered to intensify its operations against Iran. Meanwhile, an Iranian ballistic missile hit Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, Israel, seriously injuring several patients, doctors, and staff members. In a post on X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, 'Soroka Hospital in Beersheba — where Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Arab Bedouins receive care — was just struck by an indiscriminate Iranian ballistic missile. Israel will continue to do what is necessary to protect all its people, from all walks of life.'
